HISSHOU®

Designed by James Williams in Encinitas, California

Let us be clear: the Hisshou™, designed by James Williams, is a specialized tool that is intended for military personnel and special forces operators. James developed this design to meet the specific requests of coalition forces overseas for a more powerful tactical tool than his Hissatsu tactical knife, which is in wide use.

Let us be clear: the Hisshou™, designed by James Williams, is a specialized tool that is intended for military personnel and special forces operators. James developed this design to meet the specific requests of coalition forces overseas for a more powerful tactical tool than his CRKT® Hissatsu™, which is in wide use.

Historically, military swords have been sized to fit the fighting environment. Long swords, such as the English broad sword and Japanese katana, could only be used effectively on open fields of battle. Fighting in close or confined quarters required shorter swords, such as the sailor's cutlass and the Japanese wakizashi, which is similar in size to the Hisshou.

The Hisshou comes into play when the operator's firearms cannot be used, as often happens in entry and search operations. It is designed for multiple carry options depending on the choice of the operator.

The Hisshou's 13" full-tang dual grind Tanto blade is YK-30 high-carbon steel, high satin finished. The long, tapered tip grind is designed for maximum slashing power combined with superior penetration. At 16.4 ounces, the Hisshou also offers superior slashing ability as compared to the Hissatsu.

James has followed centuries of Japanese tradition in designing the classic cord-wrapped handle, which compares very well to more modern handle materials, giving excellent grip under all conditions.

We have designed a custom Kydex® sheath with a patented* quick-release belt-mounting system for the Hisshou. The sheath has detents which grip the knife securely and wide entry lips which allow the knife to be returned to the sheath with one hand.

The belt clip can be attached with the Chicago screws provided for vertical carry. Simply press in the injection-molded nylon retaining clip for instant attachment or release.

The Hisshou demands respect, and is certainly not a sport or work knife, but it can truly be a lifesaver for the military professional. This is a knife that would have been carried by the Samurai.

You don’t want to mess with Sensei James Williams. Trust us. A former U.S. Army officer with more than 50 years of experience in the martial arts, he developed The System of Strategy. It’s a unique approach to unarmed combat that he teaches to Special Operations units and law enforcement worldwide. When he is armed, though, you’ll find him brandishing blades he’s created, like the Hisshou® and Hissatsu™ fixed blades, the Shizuka noh Ken™, and the now-legendary Hissatsu™ folder.